Here with me
by tattoofiend
Summary: Kaoru is laying on her death bed, as the diease worsens. But she awaits the return of her husband and son who are from from home. Will they both return in time? Rewriting of the Third OVA, but with a twist...
1. Dreams

Authors Note: I'm probably going to get shot at by numerous of people for writing this story, when I already have three out already. Yet, I couldn't stop myself.  
  
So be kind people and review.  
  
***************************  
  
I had a dream and within this dream were memories of you, memories that are of the past that I still hold so dear. They were of everything that you've done for me, that I hold dear to my heart, even when I lie here ill.  
  
Your gentle smile that hid the pain you felt, but you know you can never lie to me. I can tell when your hurt, for I see it on your face. The same face that held so many emotions, emotions that I wanted to cherish and erase.  
  
But I know now. I know that it isn't my responsibility for me to choose the course of your life, or what you should do when the chief of police ask of a favor from you.  
  
You alone have to make those choices on your own, but please know that I will always be beside you, no matter what you chose. Because of you, I was given happiness.  
  
But in this dream, I also relive the pain that we went through, the pain of regret and sorrow those moments when enemies from your past came for blood.  
  
But we made it through all that, we were strong and survived. Now you have a place you can call home, somewhere you can return to.  
  
A home where a loving wife awaits your return, until then I will wait here for you. I will wait for the return of you and our son.  
  
I will stand outside the door, with a smile on my face to greet you both back with loving warmth and kindness.  
  
Till then, I await here in the darkness of my room. Trying to stay alive till you return to me once again, because one day.  
  
One day you will return to me.  
  
..........  
  
Yahiko sat by his master's side, watching for any signs of pain or sickness. She showed nothing of that nothing but a smile on that wane face of hers.  
  
Kaoru showed no sign of waking from wherever she was wherever she was it sure must be a happy place for her. Because she showed no sign, of pain within her deep sleeping  
  
*********************************  
  
Please be kind. I think I kind of outdid myself this time a little. 


	2. Scars that bind us

Authors Note: Thank you to all the reviews. This author is a happy author do you know what that means?  
  
Happy author= More chapters.  
  
************************  
  
Chapter one- The scars that bind us  
  
These wounds won't seem to heal  
  
this pain is just too real  
  
there's just too much that time cannot erase  
  
In this dream this dark and rainy night, is the memory of your distance from me. Ever since that sign on the dojo door that read "Jinchu," you distanced yourself from me.  
  
"Please eat something Kenshin" I asked.  
  
I watched with anticipation as you looked at the tray, your distant gaze fell upon the teacup that held a painting of white plums. Your hand shook as you held it in your hand, asking me of where this had come from.  
  
A smile crossing over my face, as I thought you had come back to me.  
  
"From mister Hiko" I replied.  
  
My heart froze as you told that story. I just wanted to I didn't know what to do. The pain that surrounded my heart, squeezed at it tightly as if it was being devoured by those words.  
  
"I killed my own wife, Tomoe Himura with my own bare hands"  
  
That phrase stayed fresh in my mind, as if you just said them minutes ago. I rushed away from the dojo, unable to stay so close to you.  
  
"Is this what he thinks when he's with me?" I asked.  
  
No one answered nothing greeted me, nothing but darkness.  
  
*************************  
  
Kaoru woke up from the dream, looking at the light room, as she noticed a figure sitting close by. The silhouette dancing across the door, as the light from the flames reflected his body.  
  
He smiles.  
  
"Yahiko, sorry I'm such a burden to you." I said.  
  
Yahiko shakes his head, as he puts the now soaked washcloth back on her forehead, a bucket of water by her bedside.  
  
"The doctor say you need calm rest." He said.  
  
"Calm rest he says?" How am I supposed to have calm rest, when my son and husband left me and yet to have returned?" she thought.  
  
Karou smiles at the boy, as she thanks him for staying. This place was getting quite lonely without anyone.  
  
Yahiko watched as she closed her eyes again, going back into a peaceful sleep, dreaming of memories from long ago.  
  
............... ............... ..............  
  
"You know when he comes, I will kill you?" he asked.  
  
I just nodded my head I would die if it met just seeing kenshin's smiling face one last time. I watched from the balcony that overlooked the ocean, it's been months.  
  
"When will you come for me Kenshin?" I asked.  
  
A tear escaping my eyes as I thought, about Tomoe what a bond that must be. That even in death, you still think of her, as if she was a living being inside of you.  
  
"If I die, will you remember me always Kenshin?" I asked.  
  
Einishi disappeared stating he would watch the battles. The two of us stood there, neither saying a word.  
  
I want you to smile at me someday, a smile that comes from deep inside yourself. I don't want the smile that hides the sadness.  
  
"For that's not a smile. But a frown you tried to turn upwards."  
  
************************************  
  
It was summer when Kenshin left, now it is summer once again. How many seasons must I wait, for you to return to me?  
  
I'm waiting, just like I told you that night before you left. You left behind a wife and son who continue to wait for you.  
  
A wife who has yet to hear the voice of her husband, declaring he is home.  
  
*******************  
  
(sniffles) I was so happy to see that you all loved the first chapter. I hope this one brings you enough to review greatly.  
  
Ruroken: Why thank you. I'm glad to know, someone liked this better then my last few fics. Brittanie Love: Sorry for the cliffhanger, hope no one was shoved off of it? Thank you for supporting me though. Hope this one was long enough.  
  
Fanfiction wanderer: Wow! You seem to just review my stories, I like that. If everyone was like you well, I think I would make writing my life. Hope this chapter entertained you as much as the last.  
  
Yume Kuroi: Ah. There is more for there is never an ending to anything. But hopefully this one made you just a little bit more teary eye.  
  
Crystal Renee: ::glomps:: Wow! I'm glad that you enjoyed it, I think watching RK over and over will do something to you. Thanks for always being there for me. Also, thank you for co-writing a RK story with me.  
  
P.S Everyone keep in mind. This story is tied together with my other RK fic called "Haunting"  
  
Also, go read Crystal Renee's stories. Their really good. 


	3. Goodnight Goodbye

Authors Note: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story. I would hate to say this is the end, but I'm afraid it is. So, please read and review with reverence.  
  
***************  
  
Chapter three- Goodnight; Goodbye  
  
Kaoru breathed in deeply, as if trying to stop the pain. She could feel herself slowly slipping away. The medicine that Megumi gave her was only helping a little bit.  
  
But even with the medicine she could feel herself become more cold and more dead then ever. She moved around a little bit, as she felt something cool coming in contact with her hot forehead.  
  
"I can only do so much" Megumi said.  
  
Kaoru closed her eyes as she went into a deep sleep. She was hoping she could escape the nightmare even for a little while. Her fever became higher, as her dreams got darker.  
  
********************  
  
Kaoru was lying on her bed, as she watched kenshin leave for Kyoto. All those times she could have yelled at him to stay, she took the cowards way out.  
  
She should have clung to him hoping just by seeing how much everyone needed him, he would stay. Tears escaped from the corners of her eyes, as he held her in embrace.  
  
The smiles, the warm embrace, how could someone so cold, be this warm?  
  
Her heart tore of the thought, Is this Tomoe's doing?  
  
Kaoru screamed in agony. She collapsed to the ground as she her lungs felt like they were shutting on her the outline of Kenshin's figure entered her vision. She picked up her head, as she reached out to him.  
  
"He's never coming back" she thought.  
  
He would have been back by now.  
  
...... ...... .......  
  
Megumi shook her head at the others on Kaoru's condition. She bowed her head, as she thought of the devastating effects it would have on Kenji.  
  
Kenji looked at Megumi and then his lifeless mother, kneeling down next to her he wrapped his arms around her neck. Tears fell from his eyes as he gripped her tighter, hoping that his warmth would bring her back.  
  
"I'm sorry Mom, I shouldn't have left and now this" Kenji said.  
  
Kaoru didn't respond as her son continued to talk to her, hoping something he said would wake her from the deep sleep.  
  
Kenji threw his fist onto the ground as his body shook with tears. His mother was gone, his father who never was home caused this. It was his father's fault, if he had made it in time, his mother might have still been alive.  
  
"She was always waiting for you" he screamed.  
  
"And I'll continue to wait"  
  
***********************  
  
I couldn't wait No matter how hard, I tried to wait The disease wouldn't stop. But if some how I could tell you.  
  
I would etch it in the stars.  
  
******************  
  
That's the last chapter of my fic. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. 


	4. epilouge

Authors Note: This is the last chapter of "Here with me" I hope you all enjoy this last chapter, written by Crystal Reene for me. Much love to her.  
  
********************  
  
I won't go  
  
I won't sleep  
  
I can't breathe  
  
Until you're resting here with me  
  
I won't leave  
  
I can't hide  
  
I cannot be  
  
Until you're resting here with me  
  
Kaoru stumbled along the path, intent on finding something before she left. There wasn't much more she could hold onto--- she was dead on her feet as she walked to down the road, and her heart wrenched. 'I promised ... I promised that I'd be here for him when he got back. I won't go, I won't seleep, I can't breath, until he's back here resting with me. I won't leave and I won't hide anything anymore. He has to be here with me before I die.'  
  
Kaoru nearly fell to the floor before lifting her head once more, scanning the area around her. Something--- something was coming. Her heart nearly jumped.  
  
~*~  
  
'I promised Kaoru... I have to get back to her...' he thought to himself, forcing his body onward. 'I may not remember everything, but I remember Kaoru...please still be waiting for me...'  
  
He forced his head up to see the one person that he had been trying so hard to return to standing right before him. She smiled at him and he could see the weakness in her body, the way she winced as she walked. She was dying too, but she hadn't given up. She had promised, and she'd kept it.  
  
Before he knew what was going on, he'd fallen in her lap, and they both collapsed to the ground in exhaustion and content.  
  
"I'm back..."  
  
"Welcome home. Shinta."  
  
~*~  
  
Kenji walked around the dojo, cursing his fathers name and swearing he'd get revenge for what happened to his mother. She'd always waited for him, praying he'd come back. If they had meant anything to him, Kenji was positive that his father would have come back by now. He didn't understand why he felt he had to travel all the time.  
  
Finally deciding he'd look at his mother one more time before they lay her to rest, Kenji traveled down the halls to his mother's room and opened the door. She wasn't there.  
  
"What kind of sick joke is this? Yahiko, where's my mother's body?"   
  
~*~  
  
Frantically, Megumi, Yahiko and Kenji searched everywhere for Kaoru. She had to be somewhere...was it possible that, maybe, she hadn't been dead? That perhaps, she'd still been alive?  
  
That she was still waiting for Kenshin?  
  
Kenji grew angered and he walked out the door, spotting his mother holding his father as he fell against her. His eyes grew wide. There was so much weakness and determination in his father's face, like he had been trying to get back the whole time. And his mother seemed contented and happy just to see his father again.  
  
He watched as they sat together, his mother speaking of things Kenji realized would never happen. His father smiled and nodded that he would like that too, and Kenji stayed back in the corners.  
  
Suddenly he heard his mother say "It's been forgiven. Finally, it's been forgiven."  
  
And she slumped over his father's body.  
  
His heart ached and he walked closer to his parents, finding them both dead, the way his mother had always wanted it to be.  
  
Together, knowing each others pain and in each other's arms.  
  
He looked down and a silent tear slid down his face. "You finally came back. If only you'd been here, maybe this wouldn't have happened. I'll never forgive you for that, tou-san, but I can't hate you because you did what you promise and you came back to kaa-san. She's been waiting for you. And... so have I."  
  
*******************  
  
Thank you to everyone who reviewed this story, staying with me the whole time. 


End file.
